Almost Perfect Crimes
by Lux's Sister
Summary: Ahsoka Tano in the ballroom with the candlestick? Or Sheev Palpatine in the kitchen with the lead pipe? Grab your magnifying glass, follow the clues, and see if you can solve this series of murders before the detectives.
1. Death at the Gallery

**INTRODUCTION TO MURDER**

I'll admit it now: I'm a huge fan of Hy Conrad. I binge-watched all of _White Collar, Monk _made me laugh, but nothing could hold a candle to my first and true Hy Conrad love, _Almost Perfect Crimes. _The structure was deliciously different from other you-be-the-detective books I'd read, and teenage me devoured the entire book, and then its sequels _Almost Perfect Murders _and _Whodunit - You Decide_.

So, without more Conrad mysteries to solve, I decided to make some of my own.

Each mystery in this collection will begin with a story. After the story, there will be a series of questions you need to answer in order to solve the case for yourself. Then I'll give you a set of clues. You may only need one or two clues to solve the case, you may need all of them. Some mysteries are harder than others.

If you're still stuck, go to the "Analysis of Evidence" section to help you work out your theory. It's at this point, when you have a working theory but before you proceed to the solutions, that I'm going to encourage you to leave a review explaining what you think happened. The best part of a mystery is the guessing and sharing of ideas.

Although this is a Star Wars fanfic, all the stories take place on Earth and all the characters are human. This is so basic laws of physics, medicine, and facts of life on Earth (such as historical events or the Gregorian calendar) remain consistent with what you, the Earth resident, know.

Lastly, don't think you have to be a police detective or a forensic scientist to take on these mysteries. All you need to bring to these stories are your deductive reasoning skills and a good dose of imagination. In other words think Sherlock Holmes, not CSI.

Happy sleuthing,

LS

* * *

**DEATH AT THE GALLERY**

_London, England_

Mitt Thrawn, art dealer, leaned in close as he could to the painting on the gallery wall without disturbing the velvet rope. He could see the hallmarks of his favorite artist: the broad brushstrokes and bright lighting depicting a young woman looking off the observation deck of the Eiffel Tower.

"I could lift the rope for you if you like," Ahrinda Pryce offered. "It is my painting after all."

"This is fine, Ms. Pryce." Thrawn pulled back. "It truly is remarkable. Tell me again, how you found the lost Mermeer."

"You never know what you can find in an old baron's estate sale," Pryce's small smile faded. She knew of the infamous art dealer's reputation - as much as he loved a good buy, he was also cunning and would always come out on top no matter what damage he left in his wake. "Have you given any more thought to the purchase? You never said much during our previous meetings."

"I am interested," Thrawn admitted. "You'll give your speech, and then as we agreed I'll make my announcement to the crowd of the deal. You know I have a fondness for Mermeer."

"That's why I contacted you first." Pryce was cut off by Thrawn's phone ringtone. "I'm sorry, do you have to take this?"

"I don't." Thrawn checked the caller's ID. "It seems my daughter's exceeded her allowance payment and requires more funds. Again." He put his phone back in his pocket. "No doubt she'll show up tonight to beg me for a check in person. I apologize in advance and I'll have her quickly shown out if she makes a fuss."

"As long as she isn't a disturbance," Pryce acquiesced. "I'd best take my place for the speech. Would you like me to walk you to your seat?"

"I would be honored. Gemma may distract me for a minute but rest assured I'll be there in time for your speech to begin, Ms. Pryce."

And he was. Thrawn took his place in the audience between the two people he was trying to avoid all evening.

"Mr. Thrawn," Wilhuff Tarkin, Thrawn's greatest competitor, offered him a polite but insincere smile. "Is it true you have a deal on the table for the lost Mermeer? It's worth a fortune."

Thrawn would have returned with an equally polite and insincere answer but the plan was foiled by his daughter Gemma. "Of course he does. He's the best art dealer in London for a reason. How much is it for, Daddy? I need a new -."

"Quiet, both of you," Thrawn snapped not looking up from his phone. He eventually had to stash the device when the lights went down and Pryce took the stage to begin her speech.

"Good evening everyone, and it's my pleasure to share the lost Mermeer with you all." The audience applauded when she used her remote control to bring up a likeness of the painting on the projector screen behind her and backed into the wings so as not to block their view. "Mermeer created many beautiful paintings before his untimely death in 1885, but none of them compare to this, his masterpiece."

Thrawn got to his feet but was quickly stopped by Tarkin's whisper. "What do you think you're doing?"

"It's not your concern," Thrawn replied and left the room.

Despite the interruption Pryce's speech continued as planned. It was nearly an hour later when she shut off the slideshow and stepped back out from the wings. "And now we have an announcement from Mr. Mitt Thrawn, who requires no introduction. Mr. Thrawn?"

When Thrawn didn't come forward for a few minutes worry began to set in. Tarkin and Gemma split up to look for him. Tarkin had just finished checking the coatroom when Gemma screamed.

He shoved into the room where Gemma stood with her hands clamped over her mouth. Mitt Thrawn lay facedown on the carpet, a bloody wrench next to his head.

"Phone the police!" Tarkin shouted, fighting back the urge to bolt from the room. "It looks like Thrawn's double-dealing finally caught up with him."

**Questions: 1) Who killed Mitt Thrawn? 2) Why? 3) How was the murder committed? **

...

**EVIDENCE**

**Security Guard's Testimony**

"Ms. Pryce's speech began at eight and everyone was in their seats, listening to her and watching the slideshow presentation. Mr. Thrawn got up shortly after the speech began and went out the house right door. About an hour later everyone noticed Mr. Thrawn was gone and Mr. Tarkin and Miss Gemma went to go look for him. No one else got up from their seats and my men at the door say no one entered the hotel. If you ask me, the guy probably got it from the ghosts of all the owners who he embarassed or ruined some other way."

**Cell Phone Records**

The phone company provides a record of the deceased's cell phone activity. Over the last few days there are several calls from Gemma to her father, only one of which Thrawn returned. The multitude of texts which follow are pleas for the deceased to help Gemma pay off a massive shopping debt.

Tarkin also called the deceased twice. When questioned about the nature of the calls, he admits he was trying to intimidate the victim in an attempt to buy the Mermeer for himself.

Investigators also find a series of text messages between Mr. Thrawn and an art authenticator. The last message, dated and timed one week before the murder, reads "My Parisian friend agrees with you. 1887. Call me right before you do it."

The art authenticator's number has been partially dialed in the calling app.

**Search of the Crime Scene**

The room the body was discovered is a comfortable and lavishly furnished sitting room for gallery guests to rest. It is decorated with small iron statuettes, a comfortable couch, and a fireplace topped by two heavy candlesticks. The murder weapon, an unremarkable household wrench covered in dried blood, is lying next to the victim. No fingerprints are present on the murder weapon or any of the doorknobs.

Nothing is found in the hallway connecting this room, the backstage area, and the entrance to the main lobby.

**Search of the Coatroom**

Tarkin's briefcase: In addition to usual, a sales contract is found in a black leather binder. When questioned Tarkin admits he was planning to steal the Mermeer deal from under Thrawn's nose during the party, but was unable to get close enough to Pryce to do so as she was always with Thrawn.

Gemma Thrawn's purse: In addition to usual, several maxed-out or cut up credit cards and a small palette of designer makeup.

Ahrinda Pryce's purse: In addition to usual, a bottle of clear nail polish and and a cassette tape, unlabeled.

**Mitt Thrawn's Will**

Mr. Thrawn leaves behind a substantial estate. Since his wife is long dead and he has few friends, the sole beneficiary of his will is his daughter, Gemma Thrawn.

…

**ANALYSIS OF EVIDENCE**

Several clues point to Thrawn's murder being a premeditated event. Why use a wrench as a murder weapon when one of the statuettes or candlesticks in the room would do? Clearly the killer smuggled the weapon into the gallery. In addition the dried blood on the wrench confirms the murder occurred before Gemma discovered the body; during Pryce's speech. But Tarkin and Gemma were both in the front row listening to Pryce speak. How could any of the suspects have killed him then?

Similarly the suspects' belongings (with the exception of Tarkin's contract) raise no red flags, though they may shed light on each suspect's plans for the night of the murder.

* * *

Have you solved this murder? Now's the time to state your case in the review box. When you're done, put your theory to the test by reading the solution in the next chapter.


	2. Death at the Gallery: Solution

**DEATH AT THE GALLERY: SOLUTION **

Ahrinda Pryce. 2) He was planning to ruin her career and reputation. 3) By playing a recording of her speech, therefore giving herself an alibi for the time of the murder

Pryce's speech held the vital clue to this case: Mermeer died in 1885, but construction on the Eiffel Tower which features in the painting didn't begin until 1887, two years after the artist's death. Pryce's "lost Mermeer" was a forgery.

Mitt Thrawn, shrewd art dealer and Mermeer expert that he was, suspected this and so reached out to an art authenticator who confirmed his suspicions. It was during one of Thrawn and Pryce's meetings to discuss the painting and the potential sale that she spotted the final texts from the art authenticator. She knew the dealer's reputation for destroying those who tried to best him and wasn't about to lose her career and reputation. It was too late to simply back out of the deal. Murder was the only way out.

Pryce knew Thrawn would be stepping out to call the authenticator the night of the showing. While she put together her picture slideshow she recorded her speech using a tape recorder. She then smuggled the cassette and the wrench in her purse and planted both backstage.

The night of the murder Pryce monopolized Thrawn's attention in the pre-showing, forcing him to call the authenticator during her speech. She simply waited from the stage for him to leave the audience, then slipped into the wings and started the recording of her speech. The picture slideshow was set to run on a timer, so everyone in the audience would have the impression Pryce was standing in the wings instead of in the sitting room killing Thrawn. Once he was dead Pryce simply returned to the stage using the connecting hallway, stopped the recording and carried on with her speech confident that she had an airtight alibi.

Pryce's plan almost worked, if not for a probationary detective who thought it was odd someone would bring a cassette tape to an art showing. The police played the tape, and Pryce's alibi fell apart.


	3. Retreating in Murder

**RETREATING IN MURDER**

_Alderaan City, Arizona_

"I can't believe this is happening" Bail Organa couldn't take his eyes from the crime scene personnel working on and around his pool deck, where houseguest Saw Gerrera had been brutally beaten to death. "It's my fault he's here. Maybe if I had never…"

"You never imagined this," His wife Breha reached out to him. "It's not your fault."

From across the room Police Captain Rex cleared his throat to regain the couple's attention. "Excuse me, Mr. and Mrs. Organa, but I do need to ask you some questions. How long have you known Mr. Gerrera?"

"Not at all," Bail admitted. "Breha and I run a retreat for young people who've suffered a tragedy this year. We host them out here every Fourth of July weekend so they can hang out by the pool and take their mind off their problems for a while. Saw Gerrera was one of this year's kids. He lost his sister last fall in a hiking accident."

"You said he's _one_ the kids you hosted this year," Rex repeated. "Where are the others?"

The other three teenagers were all still in the house. Within a matter of minutes they were gathered in the living room along with their hosts.

Alexsandr Kallus sat rigidly straight in his chair, not a strand of blonde hair out of place. "I hadn't met Saw Gerrera before today," he said. "We're from different schools and different neighborhoods. We got here about eleven so we could unpack and get to know the others before lunch."

"Aleksandr was already here when we arrived," Lux Bonteri, a lanky and well-dressed teenager continued the story. "Saw came about fifteen minutes later. I was unpacking when I heard the screech and we all came down to investigate."

The captain looked at the room in disbelief. "You heard a screech at 11:15 and you didn't call the police until after one?"

Breha rushed to explain. "It was nothing. On his way in Saw sideswiped one of our driveway pillars. He apologized and there wasn't any damage to the pillar so we forgot about it."

Satisfied Rex made a note and turned to the last teenager, Lux's younger sister Sierra. "Where were you when this happened?"

"With everyone else." She gestured to the others with a hand in a plaster cast. "Once Saw got here he dropped off his luggage and we all sat down to lunch together."

"How did you hurt your hand, Miss Bonteri?"

Lux glared at Rex but Sierra only shrugged. "Our parents were killed in a hit-and-run last month. Flash of green, and then I woke up in an ambulance with two dead parents and a broken wrist."

Not wanting to upset her Rex changed the topic. "Did Saw say where he was going after lunch?"

"Out to the pool deck," Breha replied. "He drives a classic car and said the air conditioning doesn't work well so he was roasting from the drive. He wanted to cool off for a bit and maybe take a nap under one of the umbrellas. All the kids are free to use the pool as much as they want."

When Rex returned to the police station he found a very eager Lieutenant Cody waiting for him. "Our techs looked into the victim's background and struck gold," he explained. "It looks like Saw Gerrera was one of the heads of the Partisans gang in the next town over. No shortage of rivals there."

There was no doubt about that. The Partisans were the most brutal street gang in Onderon City, just a few miles down the highway. "You think this could be a gang hit?"

Cody's expression soured. "That's what I thought, but Mr. Organa's got security cameras along the driveway. There's only one car which enters or leaves during the time of the murder and it belongs to one of the guests. No one else."

"Maybe they didn't drive in. Could they have come around the back?"

"Doubtful. Did you take a good look at the property? The Organas live in the middle of nowhere. The closest place to park without being noticed is a gas station six miles from the place. Six miles through the desert in Arizona? The killer would have turned into a raisin before he even got there. I'm telling you, it's someone in the house."

"How could it be someone in the house?" Rex asked. "They all have alibis. Besides, who beats someone you met two hours ago to death?"

**Questions: 1) Who killed Saw Gerrera? 2) Why?**

* * *

**EVIDENCE**

**Suspects' Alibis**

During the time of the murder Bail Organa claims to be with his wife planning the night's dinner. Breha and adds that neither of them left the kitchen until they went to check on the guests and discovered the body on the pool deck.

Aleksandr Kallus reports he was in his room taking a call from his baseball coach. Both the coach and his cell phone records corroborate the story. Kallus's call began at 12:45 and ended at 1:37, when he claims he heard the Organas scream. At 1:38 he placed the 911 call.

Sierra Bonteri says she was in the living room reading from lunch until she heard the Organas shout for someone to call the police, when she ran to her room to hide. She was alone and no one recalls seeing her during the critical period.

Lux Bonteri claims to have left the property at 12:30 to bring a gift to his girlfriend. She wasn't home so he left it on her front doorstep. His girlfriend was at work all day but confirms she found the gift on her doorstep when she came home that night and produces a bead necklace and a note signed by Lux as evidence.

**Autopsy Report**

The deceased was savagely beaten to death with a metal object with a rounded head. After examination of the bruising and scans it appears the deceased was struck over thirty times, though the first blow was fatal. Death occurred instantaneously.

According to liver temperature, time of death is estimated to have occurred around 1PM.

**Security Camera Footage**

Aleksandr Kallus' and the Bonteris' cars arrive at 11:02 and 11:05 respectively. At 11:15, Saw Gerrera drives in and sideswipes the Organa's driveway pillar. He gets out of the car when the others show up and assess the damage. Breha Organa inspects the pillar and all proceed inside.

At 12:30, Lux Bonteri's car exits the driveway and returns at 1:45. The driver can be faintly seen wearing a knit ski hat and sunglasses. Two minutes later, police arrive at the scene.

No other vehicles enter or leave the driveway during the critical period.

**Search of the Driveway**

All three of the guests' cars are parked alongside each other in a small parking area by the driveway. The Organas' car is in the garage, seemingly undamaged and empty except for registration and insurance information in the glove box. A bag of golf clubs is leaning against the car. No tire marks are recovered from the concrete driveway.

Police find a baseball glove, aluminum bat, and uniform in the trunk of Aleksandr Kallus' grey sedan. When questioned, Kallus claims he always keeps his baseball gear in his trunk, even out of season. The bat has been seized and taken to be processed at the lab. Results pending.

Lux Bonteri's SUV contains several fashion magazines on the passenger side. Both the driver's and passenger's seats are adjusted to the same level, and the steering wheel is in the lowest position.

The victim's classic car seems undamaged except for a large scratch on the passenger side which reveals green paint underneath a fresher coat of black. Further analysis reveals that several car parts, such as the front bumper and the headlights, have been recently replaced.

**Suspect's Backgrounds**

Police run a background check on everyone in the house and find that Saw joined the Partisans gang shortly after his sister's death. The gang has been linked to multiple crimes in Onderon City, one of the most heinous being an attack on a visiting high school baseball team. The only member of the team to survive was Aleksandr Kallus.

The Organas are active members of the community who have hosted the teenagers' retreat for years. They have no criminal records but Mr. Organa regularly speaks out against gang violence in the community as part of his campaign for political office, often citing the Partisans as the worst offenders.

According to their high school yearbook the Bonteri siblings are alike in everything except age and gender. They maintain good grades and were active in the high school debate team until the hit-and-run which killed their parents, after which eighteen-year-old Lux took custody of his younger sister.

* * *

**ANALYSIS OF EVIDENCE**

The cause of death points to Saw's murder being personal; it would take an incredible amount of rage to bludgeon someone thirty times after he was dead. How was this possible then if the suspects had only met him today? It appears the motive may be buried in Saw's past.

The timing of the murder presents multiple conundrums. First of all the July desert heat would make it impossible for an outside killer to make their way in, so it must be someone inside the house. Sierra is the only suspect who doesn't have an alibi, but it's doubtful she would be able to bludgeon Saw with a broken wrist. Kallus has the only clear motive and access to a baseball bat but also a cast-iron alibi for the critical period. With Lux off the premises and the Organas together, who would be available to kill Saw?

As Rex pored over Saw's background, he couldn't help wonder why Kallus didn't mention Saw was part of the gang who attacked his baseball team. Due to the trauma of the event, maybe he didn't remember. It's entirely possible he would have needed a reminder to identify Saw.


	4. Retreating in Murder: Solution

**RETREATING IN MURDER: SOLUTION **

1) Lux, with Sierra as an accomplice. 2) Saw was the hit-and-run driver who killed their parents.

Saw Gerrera's fate was sealed when he sideswiped the pillar and the Bonteri siblings saw the scrape. His distinctive, classic car had already looked familiar but was the wrong color to be the hit-and-run driver. As soon as the old paint was revealed Lux and Sierra knew they were not mistaken. After lunch they sat down and hatched a plan. Saw had killed their parents and gotten away scot-free, and now he would pay with his life.

At 12:30 Lux hid in his bedroom while Sierra, wearing Lux's clothes and her hair tucked under a ski cap, adjusted the car's driver's seat and the steering wheel to fit her height and drove to his girlfriend's house. She had noticed the security cameras on the way in and was confident her impersonation would be enough to fool them and give her brother an alibi (her own being the broken wrist). Both siblings knew Lux's girlfriend would be at work and thus wouldn't know that Sierra, not Lux, had dropped off the gift which they'd improvised from their luggage.

Once Sierra had driven off Lux waited for the other guests to settle down, then snuck down to the pool deck. Finding Saw taking a nap on the pool chair, Lux bludgeoned him to death with a golf club he'd stolen from the garage. He then wiped off the club, put it back where it belonged and returned to his bedroom to wait for someone to find the body and for Sierra to return. She would have to time her arrival perfectly so the alibi would hold up.

It was this timing which caused Sierra to make her one mistake. When she pulled into the driveway she could hear the police sirens approaching the house. She was in a bind. She had to readjust the driver's seat and the steering wheel to fit Lux's height, but if the police found her wearing Lux's clothes the deception would be over. She left the driver's seat and the wheel where they were, hoping no one would notice until she was able to return to the car, and changed into her own clothes just before police arrived.

The more Captain Rex worked on this case, the less sense the Bonteris' stories made. Why would Lux wear a ski cap in July? Why would he drive in such an uncomfortable position? As the inconsistencies stacked up, the investigation began to focus on them.


	5. Cold As Ice

**COLD AS ICE**

_Outside the town of Lothal, Canada_

The birds stood like ink spots against the brightening Monday sky. That counted for one thing going Sheriff Kanan Jarrus' way. Light would make it possible to search for the missing woman.

"You really think she just wandered off into the woods?" Kanan's deputy Ezra asked. "Sure she's not from around here but she's seen _trees _before."

"There's more in the woods than just trees, Ezra." Truthfully Kanan had to agree with him. Once you left the Lothal town limits there wasn't much out there besides trees. There wasn't even snow on the ground. Certainly nothing which held a candle to Maketh Tua's hometown of Thunder Bay. An spur of the moment hike in the woods, especially one lasting an entire weekend, was severely out of character for the workaholic visitor. Ever since she arrived Tua hadn't been interested in anything but finding out whose land her investment company could repossess.

That hadn't made her well-liked, but Kanan still hoped they'd find the woman. She'd gone missing Friday night and after two days her chances of survival diminished with every hour.

Kanan's hopes came to a screeching halt when he heard the frenzied barks of Hera Syndulla's bloodhound, Chopper. When he and Ezra reached them they found Hera holding Chopper back from the frozen lake. The dog looked ready to tear off his leash to reach Tua's body, staring at them through the crystal ice.

While the fire department worked to extract the body from the lake Kanan and Ezra talked to Hera. "Chop caught the scent a little back," she informed them now that Chopper had quieted down. "She must have tried to walk on the lake and fallen through the ice."

"Walk on the lake?" Ezra scoffed. "She must have been dumber than she looked. Everyone knows not to go out on the ice."

"Or she didn't go on the lake." It couldn't be a coincidence the most hated person in Lothal died before she could cause any more havoc.

The medical examiner spoke up from the shore, confirming Kanan's theory: "Sherriff, you'll want to see this.

"She didn't spend the weekend in the pond," he continued and rolled the body over to point to a large bruise on the back of Tua's head. "And I don't think this was an accident either."

…

"So you were the last person to see Ms. Tua alive?" Kanan asked.

Old Jho, owner of Lothal's inn and de facto community center, barely looked up from washing the dishes in his basin sink, part of the new renovations to his kitchen. "She left during dinner Friday night. She walked past me in the kitchen and said she was going for a walk. I didn't think anything of not seeing her the next day until her coworker said something."

"So he didn't see her all Saturday either?" Ezra asked while trying to keep Chopper away from the food.

"No one did. We all assumed she was out working." Chopper tore out of Ezra's grip and bounded up to Jho's chest freezer barking. "Crazy dog," Jho laughed. "Grab him a soup bone out of there, will you Ezra?"

Tua's coworker Valen Rudor was equally unhelpful. "Tua kept to herself," he said between bites of a cheese omelet. "Imperial Investments sent us both so we could cover more ground, not so we could work together. I only saw her at mealtimes."

"Did you know what she was working on?"

Rudor shook his head. "Like I said, I barely saw her but I know she had a few repossessions on the table that she was about to serve. Someone in the dining room might have heard her talking."

"Whose properties was she going after?" Kanan didn't like thinking about it.

"Her big project was Mr. Azmorigan's properties."

Ezra rolled his eyes. "You mean Mr. Azmorigan who _definitely _doesn't work for the Mob?"

"That's the one," Rudor sighed and looked down to his omelet. "She had plenty of time to work on it too. Apparently Azmorgan's pipes burst from the cold snap and he's staying in this inn."

"I wasn't worried about those Imperial people," Azmorigan snorted when Kanan and Ezra questioned him. " I have all my papers, I make all my payments on time. They weren't taking any of my properties away."

"Even the illegal ones?" Ezra snarked.

Azmorigan shot him a look. "How many times do I have to tell you, I run a legitimate business. If you're looking for a suspect, start with that Rudor. He and the woman were more than coworkers, I can tell you that much. A few days ago at dinner it sounded like they were arguing."

On the way back to the sheriff's office Ezra tried to hash out the conflicting stories. "Rudor says he barely knew Tua and she was about to take Azmorigan's properties, and Azmorigan says she and Rudor were having an affair and his properties were fine. Do you buy it?"

"Not for a second," Kanan said. "What was she doing for two days? Wandering through the woods?"

**Questions: 1) Where did Tua spend the weekend? 2) Who killed her? 3) How was the murder committed?**

* * *

**EVIDENCE **

**Autopsy Report**

"Fluid in the lungs indicates cause of death was drowning. There is a large bruise on the back of the head and neck suggesting the victim's head was held underwater. Second, horizontal bruise across the victim's chest, origin unknown. Body is nearly frozen solid, but state of decomposition sets time of death as approximately twelve hours before medical examiner's arrival at the crime scene, or 6:00 PM Sunday night. Samples of fluid taken from the lungs is water with trace amounts of chlorine. No diatoms or debris present.

_Nonmedical note: _Victim's clothing consisted of a winter coat, woolen hat and gloves, hiking boots, twill pants, nylon stockings, and a linen blouse."

**Search of Tua's Room**

Per police request, no one has cleaned the room since Tua went missing and the room has been sealed since Friday night. The bedsheets are rumpled on both sides of the bed. An unopened bottle of wine and two clean glasses are on the table.

In addition to usual, the victim's luggage contained one pair of dress pants, one pair of jeans, a flannel shirt, two blouses, a pair of red six-inch stiletto heels, and a body-hugging red silk cocktail dress.

**Affidavit of Valen Rudor**

Under intense questioning, Valen Rudor breaks down and admits to the affair. "It was only a bit of fun for me. I didn't plan on it continuing after this trip, we'd be fired if anyone found out, but Tua had different ideas. She said we could quit Imperial to be together, and live up here. She liked some of the properties and thought we could buy them on the cheap. I told her she'd have to come up with something serious for me to stay in a one-horse town like this. No offense."

**Imperial Investments Documents**

An attorney examines Maketh Tua's work binder and submits the following report: "The victim was attempting to seize the Azmorigan properties through a legal loophole and it seems was close to doing so. The other possible seizures are local homes and businesses. According to the page numbers, one document appears to be missing."

**Suspects' Alibis**

Old Jho provides the whereabouts of the suspects during the time Tua was killed. "Sunday evening? Yeah, I saw them both. I was busy cutting up a deer for my freezer and they were sitting in the main dining room watching the game on TV. As best I could tell, neither one left the room. Azmorigan stepped out to move his coat and boots to a different spot on the communal coat rack so they wouldn't get dripped on, but he was only gone about ten seconds."

**ANALYSIS OF EVIDENCE**

With so many conflicting stories, Tua's room is the most accurate indicator of her true plans the evening she disappeared. While the wine and the cocktail dress seem to confirm she was having an affair, they also suggest Tua had romantic plans for the evening. Why then would she take an impromptu hike without letting Rudor know? Her other clothes also make no sense. The flannel shirt and jeans found in her room would be far more appropriate hiking attire than a blouse and khakis, and her feet would have frozen wearing nylon stockings. Speaking of clothing, something in the footwear department appears to be missing.

The autopsy report also confused Kanan. Diatoms are microscopic creatures found in all natural water sources, yet there were none present in the water in Tua's lungs.

The most confounding question, however, is the one asked from the beginning. How does a woman simply disappear for an entire weekend?


	6. Cold As Ice: Solution

**COLD AS ICE: SOLUTION **

1) Dead, she was killed Friday night. 2) Old Jho. 3) Jho used his freezer to disguise time of death.

Maketh Tua was a woman who would do anything to get what she wanted - and over the course of their affair, she wanted Valen Rudor. The way she saw to keep him was to quit their jobs and start a new life in Lothal, and Rudor would only agree to stay with her if she produced an impressive property for them to take over. Not one to back away from a challenge, Tua flipped through the possible seizures and found a perfect candidate: Old Jho's Inn, the most successful small business in Lothal and center of the community.

Despite the inn's success, Jho had fallen into debt after remodeling the kitchen and was beginning to default on his payments. On Friday night while the other guests were eating dinner Tua, wearing business attire and matching shoes, confronted him with the repossession paperwork in hand. Jho panicked and drowned her in the kitchen sink, creating the bruise across her chest from the sink basin.

Once the adrenaline wore off and he was left with a body Jho had to think fast. The ground was frozen solid so he couldn't bury the body, and once it was discovered the police wouldn't take long to figure out he was the only one who could have killed her. He had to create the illusion that Tua was still alive long enough to give himself an alibi, or even cover up the fact there had been a murder at all.

Jho slipped into the foyer, grabbed Tua's coat and boots from the communal coat rack and dressed her in them before putting the body in the freezer. He couldn't get back to Tua's room without the other guests noticing, so he hid her work shoes to dispose of later. Then he simply waited for Rudor to notice Tua was missing and made up the story about her going on a hike.

Late Sunday night when the search teams had turned in, Jho dumped the frozen body in the lake. He knew the medical examiner would be thrown off by the state of the body and mark time of death much later than it actually was, thus giving Jho an alibi for the "time" of the murder.

The killer's story crumbled when Kanan took a closer look at the autopsy report and realized Tua did not drown in the lake. In order for chlorinated water with no diatoms to get into her lungs she would have to drown in treated water, in town. She never left for a hike, and Old Jho was caught in a lie. This clue might have set Kanan on the right track, but it was Chopper who sealed the case. Remembering the dog's outburst earlier Kanan and Ezra searched the freezer. Deep inside were two strands of human hair and Maketh Tua's work shoes.


	7. Falling Stardust

**FALLING STARDUST**

_Scarif, Caribbean Islands_

Galen Erso looked sadly at the waves breaking over the rocks below while his wife and daughter played in the spacious backyard of their seaside home.

"Don't they look content?" Someone said from behind him.

Galen whipped around to see Orson Krennic standing by the side of his house. Instantly he got to his feet. "What are you doing here?"

"You invited me. I came to check on your progress on your assignment," he said crisply before lowering his volume. "And of course on Jyn. She seems to be doing much…"

"I did no such thing and don't you dare speak of her!" Galen jabbed a finger in Krennic's direction. "You and your lies are the reason we're here at all!"

Krennic gestured to the ocean and palm trees surrounding them. "I could have brought you somewhere much worse, Galen."

"Get off my property!"

Galen's anger had attracted the attention of Lyra Erso. After distracting Jyn she raced to her husband's side and fixed the retreating Krennic with an equally poisonous glare. "What did he want?"

"It doesn't matter what he wanted," Galen sighed.

"Of course it does!"

But Galen just shook his head sadly. "I'm going to play with Jyn."

He hardly spoke another word to her that afternoon. In fact Lyra only spoke to her husband one last time because she woke up to the creaking of their mattress when Galen climbed out of bed.

"What are you doing?" she asked, rubbing sleep from her eyes.

"I think there's an animal digging around the flowerbeds. I'll only be a second." He left the bedroom, the soles of his slip-on loafers clacking against the hardwood floors.

Lyra settled back into bed and was about to drift off to sleep when she heard the scream. "Krennic, you can't - no! _No!"_

It took Lyra fifteen seconds to jump out of bed, throw on a pair of shoes and bolt to the backyard, but when she arrived Krennic wasn't there. Only the empty backyard and Galen's body, dashed on the rocks at the bottom of the cliff.

…

Detective Inspector Ahsoka Tano didn't set out to take a post in the Caribbean. Rather her career was a long and depressing story of almost finishing her training for M15, getting thrown out of M15 on false charges, and then flipping the proverbial bird to the whole organization when they tried to welcome her back by walking out and signing up for the police academy. Scotland Yard had been more than happy to take her on and soon enough her boss had found a position for her … just not one she'd expected.

Not one she minded either. Sure the police on Scarif had to send all their evidence to a larger island which boasted a crime lab, and her force was four strong counting herself, but Ahsoka was never one to back down from a challenge.

"What have we got here?" she asked when she arrived on the scene.

D.S. Kaeden Larte showed Ahsoka to the cliff's edge, careful not to disturb any of the footprints Officer Vartan was photographing for evidence. "The victim's Galen Erso, an engineer for the Stardust Corporation. His wife says he got up to investigate a sound outside when he screamed his boss's name. By the time she got out here he was at the bottom of the cliff."

"Pushed?" Ahsoka mused, examining the sets of cliff's edge. "Where's the boss?"

"Miara's out looking for him now. The vic's widow and his kid are inside. You want to talk to them?"

"I'd like to examine the body first. If there are defensive wounds it might give us more leverage for our arrest." But when Ahsoka and Kaeden finally poked down the steep cliff path and reached the body on the rocks, they had no such luck. Galen Erso's body, barefoot and pajama-clad, only bore the wounds one would expect from a fall.

"Well, great." She guessed she could only get so lucky. "Alright Kaeden, let's go talk to the widow."

Lyra spoke clearly even in the face of such a tragedy. "We arrived in the Caribbean six months ago. Galen was happy working at his old company in Wales, but when Krennic offered him the position at Stardust we had to take it." She went on in response to Ahsoka's silent prompting. "Our daughter Jyn was born with a heart condition. Krennic offered Galen more money and a comprehensive insurance plan so we could afford her treatments."

"Has it been working out?"

"Once we tried to make a claim Krennic refused to pay out. He claimed her treatment was experimental and therefore not covered. It's a lie! The surgery Jyn needs has been standard of care for years. And now that she hasn't received it it she's getting worse."

"Did Galen ever get into a fight with Krennic about this or anything else?"

She nodded frantically. "Just yesterday afternoon. Krennic waltzed into our yard like he was our friend and we'd invited him for a barbecue, taunting Jyn's condition. Galen threw him out after he said he could have brought Galen somewhere much worse."

"And that's a threat!" Kaeden nearly jumped up and down in the main room of the police station. "Can you say 'open and shut?'"

"Afraid not," Kaeden's sister, Officer Miara Larte, stormed in looking like she'd had sour milk for breakfast. "The boss, Orson Krennic? Has an airtight alibi."

"The widow swore she heard the victim scream his name right before he fell to his death."

"At midnight, right? Krennic says he was at Selda's bar from ten to last call. Selda remembers him and he gave me the security tapes." Miara tossed the discs onto Kaeden's desk. "The cameras have Krennic walking into the bar at 10:02 and he doesn't leave until 2:30 when Selda closes up."

Ahsoka made a face. "I hate it when a scumbag has an alibi. I hate it more when he's our prime suspect."

**Questions: 1) Who killed Galen Erso? 2) Why? 3) How did the culprit intend to deceive police?**

* * *

EVIDENCE

**Lyra Erso's Testimony**

"After Krennic left Galen wasn't as upset as I'd thought. He spent the rest of the afternoon playing with Jyn and then he fixed her an ice cream sundae for dinner. I told him it wasn't healthy but he wouldn't hear of it. Said we had to enjoy the time we had as a family. I still couldn't get Krennic off my mind. I wanted to call the police and report him for trespassing. Galen wouldn't hear of that either. Whenever I tried to talk about Krennic he just said we wouldn't have to worry about him soon enough."

**Footprint Evidence**

There are two sets of footprints. The first are barefoot prints belonging to the deceased. These prints begin at the back door, walk through the backyard, and terminate at the edge of the cliff with the toes pointing away from the house.

The second set are shoe prints which appear to be from some sort of dress shoe, men's size 10. These prints begin at the sidewalk, then cross the Erso's front yard and cement front walk and go around the house once on the east side and twice on the west side until they encounter the barefoot tracks in the backyard. Both sets of tracks then proceed to the cliff, and the shoe prints then leave the cliff and walk back to the sidewalk.

**Testimony of Orson Krennic**

"I didn't trespass on anyone. Galen asked me to drop by to discuss one of his projects for Stardust, so I was shocked when he shouted at me to get off his property. I figured I would address the issue at work so I didn't waste any more thought on it that afternoon and went to Selda's bar to have a good time in the evening. I never left. You can ask anyone there and I believe he has security cameras. Why am I still here?"

**Insurance Policy**

Galen Erso has a life insurance policy in the amount of $1,000,000. Due to the violent nature of Mr. Erso's death, the insurance company will pay double indemnity.

**Search of Shoreline**

Three miles away from the Erso house, a man's loafer washes up on the beach. Analysis of the shoe determines it is one of the pair which left the shoe prints at the crime scene.

* * *

**ANALYSIS OF EVIDENCE**

Ahsoka and her team were baffled by the lack of motive or opportunity for anyone to kill Galen. While Lyra had the opportunity she certainly didn't have a motive and seemed genuinely upset about her husband's death. And since multiple witnesses and security cameras place Krennic at the bar at the time of the murder, why did Galen scream his name?

Ahsoka couldn't help but notice one glaring inconsistency: In Lyra's statement she said Galen had put on a pair of loafers before he left their bedroom, but the body was found barefoot and so were the tracks which presumably came from Galen. Why would Galen wear shoes inside the house but not outside? And how did the killer's shoes get into the ocean if they left the crime scene walking down the street? The footprint evidence is confusing, but it may helpful for off-site sleuths to draw it out.

At least the life insurance policy seems clear-cut. There seem to be two million reasons someone could profit from Galen's death.


	8. Falling Stardust: Solution

**FALLING STARDUST: SOLUTION**

1) Galen Erso killed himself. 2) To secure the life insurance payout for Jyn's medical treatment. 3) By creating a second set of "killer" footprints at the crime scene.

Galen Erso never forgave himself for being tricked by Krennic. Now he was trapped working for his horrible boss, in a company doing deplorable things, and his daughter was suffering without her treatments. Galen was desperate. Suicide would end his misery, entitle his wife to the life insurance money that would allow her to save Jyn, and - if he was careful - frame Krennic for murder.

The first step was to invite Krennic over to establish a confrontation shortly before the "murder." Then Galen spent the rest of the day spending time with his family before setting the rest of his plan into action.

At midnight, Galen woke up Lyra to establish a witness to the phony murder. He then left the bedroom wearing his loafers and walked all the way around the house, clockwise, until he reached the back door again. He then walked to the cliff and back to the sidewalk, ensuring he left clear footprints.

When he reached the sidewalk he walked along it, leaving no tracks on the concrete, and then walked through the front yard and along the west side of the house until he got to the back door again, leaving the double trail of footprints on that side. Once at the back door Galen took off his shoes, walked to the cliff holding the loafers in his hand, threw his shoes into the ocean while shouting Krennic's name, and then jumped to his death.

When Ahsoka looked over the case she just couldn't reconcile the glaring inconsistencies and airtight alibis which surrounded her. Slowly she and her team came to the only possible solution, though Kaeden wasn't happy that she had to let Krennic go free.


	9. Death of a Detective

**DEATH OF A DETECTIVE**

_Scarif, Carribbean Islands_

One great thing about working at a tiny police station was you got to know your coworkers well. So when Detective Sergeant Kaeden Larte passed her Inspector's exam, the whole force went out to celebrate at Selda's.

Detective Inspector Ahsoka Tano raised her coffee cup. "To Kaeden and her promotion?"

"To Kaeden and her promotion!" Officers Vartan and Larte cheered and drank.

"You guys, it's not a big deal," Kaeden said humbly.

"It is a big deal because now you'll be running your own team of officers." Ahsoka replied and topped off everyone's coffees. "Raada, right? You ready for your big move?"

Kaeden nodded. "The packing took forever, and it's going to be hard being away from Miara, but I'm excited."

"You couldn't not be excited after you saw their Detective Inspector's digs. Your bungalow is right on the beach." Miara held up a picture on her phone to prove it.

"The beach?" Vartan coughed. "Damn, Kaeden! You sure know how to find a job with perks."

"The only bad thing about it is leaving all of you behind." Kaeden sobered a second and added another spoonful of artificial sweetener to her coffee.

"So let's enjoy each other's company one last time and then say our goodbyes." Ahsoka looked around the table and everyone nodded agreement.

"Who says we order something a little stronger than coffee?" Vartan suggested, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Yeah! I..." Suddenly Kaeden's grin vanished.

"Kaeden?" Ahsoka was already standing, watching Kaeden grow more and more unsteady.

"I...don't feel good." Kaeden fumbled for her purse but her hands shook too hard for her to find what she was looking for. Her eyes rolled back and she crumbled to the floor.

"Kaeden!" Miara screamed and jumped to her sister's aid.

Ahsoka beat her there. "Miara, has something like this happened before?"

"No, never! Vartan, call an ambulance! Hurry!"

"It won't help." Ahsoka said just as Vartan got out his phone. She pulled her hand back from Kaeden's neck where she'd been feeling for a pulse. "She's dead."

...

Across the restaurant another table of four watched the scene in abject horror. Not for poor Kaeden, but for themselves.

Ahrinda Pryce, Lux and Sierra Bonteri, and Jho the innkeeper couldn't believe their rotten luck. After ducking parole officers, running out on bail, and straight-up escaping from prison, they'd all united with a common purpose: to reach freedom, new identities, and a sunny life in Jamaica. Scarif was supposed to be nothing more than a layover between a ferry ride and their final flight to freedom.

It was turning into more of a dead end.

"Maybe it's not that bad," Jho whispered. "This is Scarif after all."

Pryce shot him a withering gaze. "Yes, Scarif. A British territory with extradition treaties to the United States and Canada."

"We almost made it," Sierra grit her teeth. "We had one more flight before we were home free."

_"__You _almost made it. I'm out of here."

"Don't kid yourself, Pryce." Sierra scoffed. "They're sealing down the place right now and nobody's getting in or out. Once they find out who we are, they'll pin this on us. And we didn't do it!" Silence for a second and Sierra dropped her volume. "None of you chuckleheads actually _did _something stupid as killing a cop in the middle of a crowded restaurant, _right?" _

"I'm not an idiot!" Pryce hissed and Jho stammered in indignation.

"Enough," Lux whispered. "This won't help anything. Even if they let us go, they'll take our prints and we won't have enough time to get to Jamaica before they run them through the system. We have to solve this murder, or we're all going down for it."

Jho almost fainted. "You want us to do what?!"

"How hard can it be? Clearly someone poisoned her coffee..."

"No way. They all drank from the same coffee pot and no one else is dead." Jho shook his head. "That cop wasn't poisoned. And without an autopsy, I don't know how we're going to figure out how she died, much less who made it happen and why."

"I can tell you why. She's a cop. Wouldn't we all like a little revenge on the cops who put us away?"

"Not in this case." Sierra shook her head. "I've been watching their table this whole time. No one approached it. She and the inspector got up to put a quarter in the jukebox, the sister got up to go to the bathroom, and the other cop went to chat up a woman. Even when they were gone, no one came up to the table but the people who were sitting at it."

"Well we're not going to find out anything sitting at this table, are we?" Lux asked and stood up. "Everyone, move out."

**Questions: 1) How did Kaeden Larte die? 2) Who killed her? 3) How was the murder committed?**

* * *

**EVIDENCE**

**Place Settings At Victim's Table**

Jho examines the police force's table and finds that they all shared one pot of coffee, which is sitting in the center of the table. Around the coffee pot are three communal bowls and pitchers labeled "milk," "cream," and "artificial sweetener."

Ahsoka Tano's coffee is black. On her immediate left Officer Vartan has added cream and artificial sweetener, Miara has added milk and Kaeden has added milk and artificial sweetener. Against his better judgement Jho tastes all the coffees to be sure of their content and makes a face. "This instant stuff would never have passed for coffee in my inn. The milk's watered down. Only good thing is that sweetener. Tastes just like the real stuff."

**Search of D.I. Larte's Purse**

Pryce swipes Kaeden's purse to conduct a quick search. In addition to usual, the purse contains an assortment of hard candies, three hypodermic needles, and a needle bottle labeled "human insulin." On initial examination the contents appear to be tap water.

Folded in the bottom of the purse is a letter from the police department on Raada. "Congratulations on your promotion D.I. Larte. Pending your physical examination with our department health officer, we look forward to working with you. The Inspector's bungalow is ready for you to move in at your convenience."

**Affidavit of Scarif Locals**

While stirring sugar into her tea Sierra pretends to be a reporter and calls around under the guise of writing a piece on Kaeden. She receives the following testimony.

Kaeden's old school principal has nothing but praise for her. "Kaeden worked harder than anyone. Her parents died when she was fourteen but instead of letting the grief drag her down she did everything she could to take care of her sister. I'm so glad she got this promotion; she deserves it after all the effort she put in."

The police college instructor also praises Kaeden's effort but mentions a black spot on Kaeden's otherwise perfect academic record. "It looks like she walked in on what looked like an inappropriate situation between a fellow cadet and Officer Vartan. We did an investigation and no rules were broken, so both Vartan and the cadet were reinstated after a short leave of absence."

**Selda's Testimony**

Lux sits down at the bar and gets Selda to talking. "I can't believe she's dead. She and her sister have been coming here since they were kids. This is the only restaurant within walking distance from their place and they didn't have parents to drive them anywhere. Nice girl, if a bit of a health nut. Won't eat anything with sugar in it even though she loves sweet things. She's part of the reason I added artificial sweetener to the base settings for the tables. I hate that stuff."

* * *

**ANALYSIS OF EVIDENCE**

How did the killer manage to kill only Kaeden and not everyone at the table? They all drank coffee from the same pot and shared additives from communal vessels. Additionally the fact that Jho is still alive after drinking from all the cups seems to disprove a poison being added to Kaeden's cup after the coffee was poured. The needle bottle doesn't seem to be a likely source of poison either - tap water injected into the tissue below the skin is far from toxic. It's as if someone added something to the coffee which was poison to Kaeden alone.

The fact he was still alive wasn't all that puzzled Jho. Something appears to be missing from Kaeden's table.

After Lux recounted Selda's story Pryce was even more confused with the contents of Kaeden's purse. Why would a "health nut" who refused to eat sugar carry sugary candies? That also doesn't explain why a police officer would be carrying around needles and a needle bottle.

At first glance motive seems like another dead end. Everyone Sierra talked to seemed to like her, and Vartan's indiscretion wasn't even a big deal. What then could warrant killing her?


	10. Death of a Detective: Solution

**DEATH OF A DETECTIVE: SOLUTION**

1) Diabetic shock. 2) Her sister, Miara Larte. 3) Miara tampered with Kaeden's diabetes medication and switched the artificial sweetener with real sugar.

The insulin, needles, emergency candies, and low-sugar diet lead to one explanation: Kaeden Larte was a diabetic. Once the fugitives figured this out they knew there was only one person who could have killed her. Who was the only one who could have known about Kaeden's diabetes? And who didn't instantly mention it when she collapsed? Miara Larte, Kaeden's sister and her killer.

Kaeden kept her condition a secret for fear it would affect her ability to work as a police detective, and took the proper precautions to ensure her illness wouldn't rear its head while she was on the clock. She carried her medication and a supply of sugary candy for emergencies, and she was vigilant with her diet to manage blood sugar. As her sister Miara of course knew about the diabetes and happily kept Kaeden's secret. The two of them had only each other since they were children. But when Kaeden passed her inspector's exam and prepared to move away, Miara saw red. How dare her sister abandon her after all these years! Quickly she saw how Kaeden's secret could be turned into the perfect murder weapon.

Miara began by switching Kaeden's insulin with tap water, rendering the injections useless and causing her blood sugar to skyrocket. Kaeden definitely felt the symptoms, but with the Raada police department's physical examination looming a doctor's visit would risk her secret being revealed. She resolved to tough it out until after the exam, a fatal mistake and one Miara was anticipating. By the time she arrived at Selda's Kaeden's blood sugar had been raging out of control for days and was dangerously high. It would only take one large dose of sugar to finish her off.

When the police arrived at Selda's they approached a table with four communal bowls: milk, cream, artificial sweetener, and sugar. Miara waited until the others went to the jukebox, then hid the sugar and sweetener bowls in her purse, and left with the excuse of going to the bathroom. In the bathroom she poured the sugar into the sweetener bowl before returning it to the table. Kaeden had no idea she was adding sugar, not sweetener, to her coffee and her blood sugar reached lethal levels within minutes.

However it was the sugar swap which caused Miara to make a fatal mistake. With nothing to put the real sweetener into so that she could transfer it to the sugar bowl for an even swap, Miara was forced to discard the sweetener and hide the sugar bowl in her purse before returning the sweetener bowl filled with sugar to the table. Thus there was no sugar bowl on the table when Jho investigated, though the fugitives' table was supplied with one.

The fugitives presented their case to Ahsoka and a search of Miara's purse produced the sugar bowl and confirmation of Miara's guilt. Unfortunately for them the police had them come down to the station to take their statements, during which their prints were run. No one made it to Jamaica, though Ahsoka was impressed a slew of murderers had solved the case.


End file.
